Monthly Mash-up for August, 2015: Best Friends and Gun Violence

Me - My topic for this month is best friends. Best friends are probably one of the greatest things in life. I met my best friend in school last year. My Grandma always used to tell me that I should join a sport because then I could meet people and make more friends. However, my best friend and I bonded because we are both bad at sports, and in gym class, we used to hide behind our mutual friend who is really athletic. Then, we just started hanging out together and became best friends. I think one of the most amazing feelings is knowing that no matter where you are or what you are doing, there is someone in the world who's always got your back.  Life is so much better when you have a best friend. One of the best parts of having a best friend is having someone to experience things with you. Whether it's a new experience or something that you've done a million times, everything is always better when you have a best friend to experience it with you. Best friends have a way of bringing you out of your comfort zone in the best way. My best friend is a like a second sister to me, and I know that no matter what we'll always be there for each other.

Mom - My topics for this month is gun violence. To this day, I still cannot get the faces of those children  killed at Sandy Hook elementary school out of my mind. It especially effected me because my younger daughter was about the same age at the time. Since, then things have not gotten better. It seems like every time you turn on the TV there has been another multiple shooting and even on the rare days when that does not happen there is never a day when at least one person and probably a lot more innocent people don't get shot and killed. Still, some people are more concerned with protecting people's rights to own guns then protecting people from gun violence. Saying guns don't kill people, people kill people means nothing. It may be technically true, however, as I saw on a sign one day, guns don't kill people all by themselves. The whole gun issue just shows one important thing about the human race and that is that  a lot of people care more about their own rights then the rights and safety of us all. I mean I am not saying that nobody has a right to own a gun, but shouldn't we want to keep them out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill and children at least. To my mind, the only reason you should ever need a gun is if you work in some type of law enforcement profession or you want to go hunting. I don't really understand hunting myself,  I mean killing for sport doesn't sound fun whether you are talking about animals or people. However, I get that some people enjoy it. Still, to go hunting, you should not require the types and amounts of guns and ammunition that they are finding on these mass shooters so why should people be able to buy those things. Recently, I received a Sandy Hook promise bracelet. I wear it now to remind me not only of the children of Sandy Hook, but of the other innocent children killed by gun violence as well like Christina-Taylor Green  and also to remind me of the innocent adults killed by gun violence like Victoria Soto and Allison Parker and all the other children and adults killed by guns many of whose names are not as well known. Although there will never come a day when those people should be remembered any less, it would be nice if there came a day when there weren't so many new names constantly being added to the list. Sadly, I'm not counting on that happening anytime soon though.

Sunday Scoop Week of 8/30/15 - What's Happening This Week or Coming Up Soon

Upcoming Events at Franklin Square

200 N. 6th Street

Philadelphia, PA

September 2, 6:30-7:30pm – Twilight Yoga Presented by POP UP Yoga Philly - Get excited about yoga, health, and wellness! All body types and skill levels are welcome for this Yin Yoga Class. ($15)

September 5 - 7, noon - 3 pm – Labor Day Celebration – All aboard! The Lightning Bolt Express Train makes a stop in the Square to help us celebrate Labor Day and the end of summer ($5 adults, $4 children).

September 13, 11 am - 1 pm – Grandparents’ Day Brunch – Treat your Grandparent to a delicious brunch provided by Cooperage. Ticket price includes a craft and ticket for the Parx Liberty Carousel ($25 advance ticket purchase required).

For more information go to http://www.historicphiladelphia.org/franklin-square/what-to-see/
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Upcoming Events at iPlay America

110 Schank Road

Freehold, NJ

September 5, - Dean Ambrose Superstar of the WWE

September 19 - Thomas the Train Show

For more information go to  http://www.iplayamerica.com/events

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 Upcoming at the Camden Riversharks

Campbell's Field

401 N. Delaware Avenue

Camden, NJ

Waste Management will sponsor a game-worn Hat Auction during Waste Management's Cleaning Up Childhood Cancer Awareness Night on Thursday, September 10^th, at 7:05pm.

Fans will be able to bid on the hats throughout the game.  Individuals who win the auction will be able to go on the field after the game to have their hat autographed and take a picture with the player whose hat they won.Thursday, September 10th is also Oktoberfest! 

Join a 90-minute buffet in the Diamond Café featuring a variety of German foods and beers.  For more information on Oktoberfest, CLICK HERE.
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TADA! Youth Theater 1-Day Camps

15 W. 28th Street

New York, New York 

September 14- Theme: Start It Up

September 15: Theme: Something to Step About

For more information or to register go to http://www.tadatheater.com/schoolbreakcamps&workshops.asp

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 News from Michelle Tabnick Communications 

  Bowne Printers

at the South Street Seaport Museum

Announces Partnership with Adobe Typekit

Display Type competition 

The South Street Seaport Museum announces a partnership with Adobe Typekit, which will sponsor a public facing programming initiative with Bowne Printers. Display Type, a competition of typographic variety, is a unique Fall Sponsorship between Adobe Typekit and the South Street Seaport Museum. The winning contestant will have his or her typeface carved from wood and become part of the working collection of Bowne Printers at the South Street Seaport Museum. In addition, the winning typeface will have the opportunity to be seen on a lush package of printed goods. The competition is open to type designers who have designed a typeface within the past three years. Contest is open for entry from August 21 - September 20, 2015, and a grand prize winner, first and second runners up will be notified on September 28, 2015. 

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News From Waldmania PR

Upcoming New Children's Release
Alex & The KaleidoscopeGet on Board!  
True Blue Media Productions 
September 25, 2015

Hot on the heels of winning a 2014 New York Emmy® Award for Best Children's Programming, Alex & The Kaleidoscope, with Alex Mitnick at the helm, has a splendid itinerary of colorful musical adventures in store for kids with the September 25 release of their new album, Get On Board!

Alex & The Kaleidoscope's songs unfold like storybooks, captivating young minds and stirring their imaginations.  Get On Board! invites children to observe and celebrate the world around them.  Associating the pleasure of a sweet tune with an interesting insect or the color and shape of a shark, singing along to a song about delicious garden vegetables, or dancing to a funky rhythm while hearing a list of recycled materials -- all of these make connections in a child's mind that will last a lifetime.

Setting the pace for Get On Board! is the "Alex & The Kaleidoscope Theme Song," which manages, in just 60 seconds, to cover three different sounds, tempi, and styles, unified by the lilting friendliness of Alex Mitnick's warm voice.  The question, "Who's that comin' down the track?" receives some fun (and funky) answers on the album's title song, "Get On Board."  Next, the band slides into a mood of great mystery, painting a deliciously creepy sound picture on "Insect Tourists."

Other highlights include "Outside," a Rolling Stones-type rock anthem showcasing the "built in smile" that has become a signature of all Alex Mitnick vocals, "Recycle," a funky, '70s-style reminder to stop pollution by becoming part of the solution, and Alex & The Kaleidoscope's rendition of the classic African-American spiritual, "Oh, Won't You Sit Down," which is marvelously done, with a spirited, authentic ring and perfect electric guitar instrumental break.

A graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Alex Mitnick is dedicated to both teaching and performing.  In addition to touring the nation and producing award-winning television shows and recordings with Alex & The Kaleidoscope, Alex has spent the past fifteen years honing his unique teaching style, incorporating percussion, games, movement, and, as he says, "lots and lots of singing" into a fun and engaging musical experience.  Since 2000, Alex has directed the music program for children eighteen months through eighth grade at the Princeton Montessori School in Princeton, New Jersey.

Full episodes of the award-winning Alex & The Kaleidoscope TV show can be seen on YouTube, Kidoodle.TV, AmebaTV, Toon Goggles, and Battery Pop.

Get On Board! will be available at iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, and on the Alex & The Kaleidoscope website, HERE.CD Details:  Get On Board
Release date:  September 25, 2015
For ages 4 - 8
Label:  True Blue Media Productions
SRP:   $9.99
Running time:  44 minutes Alex & The Kaleidoscope - Performance Highlights - Oct. - Nov. 2015

Oct. 3 - World Café Live at The Queen - Wilmington, DE

Oct. 31 - ArtsQuest - Bethlehem, PA

Nov. 7 - Dweck Center, Brooklyn Public Library - Brooklyn, NY

Visit Alex & The Kaleidoscope's website HERE.
Alex & The Kaleidoscope on Facebook.
  Alex & The Kaleidoscope on Twitter.

  Alex & The Kaleidoscope on YouTube ******************************************************************************************************************************News from O & M Co.

NEW YORK’S NEW HIT MUSICAL THEATER GAME SHOW

“T U N E   I N   T I M E”

RETURNS TO THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY AT SAINT PETER’S

AUGUST’S SONGWRITER LINE-UP INCLUDES

RETURNING CHAMPS KELLEN BLAIR, ERIK JARETH RANSOM AND DAVID SISCO

JOINED BY NEWCOMERS CHRISTIANA COLE, CLARE COOPER AND JOE KINOSIAN

CELEBRITY JUDGES WILL FEATURE ALL-STAR BROADWAY KIDS

GRACE MATWEJIC, ELI TOKASH AND NICKY TORCHIA

NEXT PERFORMANCE:

AUGUST 31, 2015 AT 7:30 P.M.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), will host the return engagement of the game show for musical theater lovers called Tune in Time, presented by Amy Engelhardt and Heather Shields,  hosted by Emily McNamara, with  Musical Director Nate Buccieri and annoyingly insistent timekeeper Sheila Head.  The August/September installment will be presented on Monday, August 31, 2015 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter’s (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54^th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).   

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BENJAMIN SCHEUER’S

ACCLAIMED AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MUSICAL

“ T H E   L I O N ”

BEGINS NATIONAL TOUR

 Producer Eva Price is proud to announce that The Lion, the gripping, highly acclaimed autobiographical solo show written and performed by Benjamin Scheuer, is officially began its national tour to Wednesday, August 26^th, at the Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, Massachusetts (50 East Merrimack Street).

The current national tour schedule is as follows:

August 26 – September 20, 2015

Merrimack Repertory Theatre

50 East Merrimack Street

Lowell, Massachusetts 01852

September 30 – November 8, 2015

Milwaukee Repertory Theater

108 East Wells Street

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

November 11 – 22, 2015

Geva Theatre Center

75 Woodbury Boulevard

Rochester, New York 14607

January 6 – February 7, 2016

Long Wharf Theatre

222 Sargent Drive

New Haven, Connecticut 06511

February 26 – April 10, 2016

Arena Stage

1101 Sixth Street, SW

Washington, DC 20024

May 12 –June 5, 2016

City Theatre Company

1300 Bingham Street

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15203

A good storyteller uses everything he has; so Benjamin Scheuer uses his guitar – actually, six guitars – in The Lion, a wholly original downtown musical experience that tells one man’s gripping coming-of-age story. The award-winning songwriter inspires and disarms with his raw wit and emotional depth as he leads you on a rock n’ roll journey from boyhood to manhood, through pain and healing, to discover the redemptive power of music. Much like its hero, The Lion roars.

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THE DRAMA LEAGUE  

ANNOUNCES

2015 FALL EVENTS CALENDAR

“UP CLOSE” SERIES TO INCLUDE

TONY® AWARD WINNERS CHRISTIAN BORLE,

LISA KRON, JULIE WHITE, ANNALEIGH ASHFORD,

AND TONY® AWARD NOMINEES MAX VON ESSEN AND RICK ELICE

ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME WORKSHOP FOR ACTORS

WITH UK’S FRANTIC ASSEMBLY

DRAMA LEAGUE DIRECTORFEST 2015 AND MORE

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks; Artistic Director, Roger T. Danforth) has announced their Fall 2015 Schedule of events and workshops at the Drama League Theater Center (32 Avenue of the Americas) in Tribeca.

Highlights include intimate evenings with 2015 Tony® Award winners Christian Borle (Something Rotten!), and Lisa Kron (Fun Home), and Julie White (Airline Highway), in a conversation hosted by Tony® winner Annaleigh Ashford (You Can’t Take It With You), her co-star in the upcoming Broadway production of Sylvia. The Drama League will also host a once-in-a-lifetime workshop for actors with the acclaimed British ensemble Frantic Assembly, who created the stunning movement and choreography for the Tony-winning play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; a conversation with Tony® Award nominee Max Von Essen (An American in Paris); and the return of DirectorFest, the annual short play festival featuring the work of America’s most exciting new directors.

This fall, The Drama League will also offer over fifty special performances on Broadway and Off-Broadway, as well as open rehearsals, artist residencies, play readings, excursions to London’s West End, and more.   

To reserve seats for any of the events in the Fall Series, please visit dramaleague.org.

 

Highlights  from the 2015 Fall Schedule Calendar

All events held at the Drama League Theater Center, 32 Avenue of the Americas

(unless otherwise noted)

UP CLOSE SERIES

Up Close: Christian Borle
Moderated by Rick Elice

Wednesday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Premium Seating: $45

General Public: $25

League Members: $15

Christian Borle takes a break from his Tony® winning turn as William Shakespeare in this season’s smash hit Something Rotten! to join us for a fun filled evening. Mr. Borle’s career spans stage and screen, having previously starred in the hit NBC musical drama Smash and the fantastically inventive Peter and the Starcatcher, for which he won his first Tony®. Other Broadway acting credits include Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins, Spamalot, and more. He joins us to discuss his prolific career and what it takes to pull off being the rock star Bard eight performances a week. This special event will be moderated by Peter and the Starcatcher playwright, Tony® Award nominee Rick Elice.

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Up Close: Max von Essen

Monday, October 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Premium Seating: $30

General Public: $20

Drama League Members: $12

Max von Essen is currently appearing as Henri Baurel in the award-winning An American in Paris, a role which earned him a 2015 Tony® Award Nomination for best performance by an actor in a featured role. He previously appeared on Broadway in the 2012 revival of Evita as Agustin Magaldi. His other credits include the closing company of the original Les Miserables, performing the role of Enjolras in the first revival of Les Miserables, and making his debut in the first revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. Join us as he discusses his career, current and upcoming projects!

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UpClose: Lisa Kron

Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Premium Seating: $30

General Public: $20

Drama League Members: $12

Lisa Kron is a Tony® winning writer and performer. This year, she and her writing partner Jeanine Tesori made history as the very first all-female writing teams to win the Tony® Award for a musical score, with their groundbreaking show and Best Musical Tony® winner, Fun Home.  Lisa’s last outing on Broadway was her acclaimed autobiographical work, Well, which she wrote, and for which she was nominated for a performance Tony® in the starring role. She was most recently seen on the New York stage as Mrs. Mi-Tzu and Mrs. Yang in the Foundry Theater’s acclaimed production of Good Person of Szechuan. She will join us to discuss her 30-year career in New York, and what will follow the smash success of Fun Home.

* * * * *

Up Close: Julie White
Moderated by Annaleigh Ashford

Monday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m.

Premium Seating: $45

General Public: $25

League Members: $15

The hilarious Julie White returns to Broadway this season in the canine comedy, Sylvia. Her other Broadway credits include The Little Dog Laughed, for which she won a Tony® Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play,  Airline Highway, Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike, and Ann. She is also beloved for her characters on screen, including TV’s “Grace Under Fire”, “Nurse Jackie” and the “Transformers” film franhise.  She will join us to discuss her extensive career on stage and screen and discuss her upcoming projects. This event will be moderated by her puppy co-star in Sylvia, Tony® Award winner, Annaleigh Ashford.

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And that's the scoop. Tune in Monday for another Talking  Topic.

Funtivity Friday - Art Projects - Elephant Picture

Here are the directions for making the elephant picture in our previous Funtivity Friday - Art Projects post:  Creative Shapes.

For this project you will need: At least one piece of white paper
                                                  One piece of colored paper
                                                  Two googly eyes
                                                  Crayons and or markers
                                                  Scissor

1) On the white paper draw the following:  A big round circle for a head
                                                                       A big rectangle for a body
                                                                       A small rectangle for a trunk
                                                                       Two medium sized rectangles for arms
                                                                       Two slightly larger medium sized rectangles for legs
                                                                        Four circles for hands
                                                                        Two large triangles for ears

2) After you've drawn all the parts, cut them out.

3) Glue the parts in the appropiate places on the colored paper. See above if you need help.

4)  Color in the drawing.

5) Glue the googly eyes on. If you don't have google eyes, you can either draw on eyes or cut out small circles for eyes.

6) If you want you can add things to your pictures like a circle for the sun.

Enjoy!

Tune in Sunday for this week's Sunday Scoop.                                             

Ruthless

We were given tickets to Ruthless for free for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

 Me - Ruthless, wow! Ruthless was very different than I expected. It is about a girl named Tina who wants to be a star and the lengths she'll go to achieve that goal. The show is very dark. It's not a light little funny show although there are funny parts of the show. I expected something much different more like toddlers and tiaras. The actors were all really good in their roles. The singing was good too. The songs were good too. I don't really remember any of them, but they wouldn't be bad too listen to again.  It was hard to pick a favorite character in the show because all the characters had their flaws. However, for the most part you could see why the characters acted the way they did based on their backgrounds. Over all, it was definitely an interesting show.

Mom - You might thing the characters in Ruthless are just like characters you've seen before, but there is more to them than what's on the surface. They all have hidden ambitions or hidden pasts or both.

There is Tina - the little girl who wants to be a star and will do anything to achieve this goal, and she does mean anything.

There is Judy Denmark - her supportive mother who discovers she has ambitions of her own.

There is Sylvia St. Croix - a talent agent with a secret past

There is  Myra Thorn -a teacher who didn't always want to be a teacher

There is Lita Encore - a critic who hates musicals

There is Eve - an assistant with more than just ambition but a secret past of her own.

When all these characters come together on one stage the results are literally explosive.  If you want to find out what happens, go see Ruthless at St. Lukes Theater, 308 W. 46th Street, New York, New York.

And that's our view. When is the last time you saw a show or a movie that turned out to be nothing like you thought it would be and what was it?

Tune in tomorrow for Funtivity Friday.

photo credit: All photos by Carol Rosegg

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Ruthless

We were given free tickets to Ruthless for free for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed are our own.

What: Ruthless!

Where: St. Lukes Theater
             308 W. 46th Street
             New York, New York

Who: Ages 10 and up

Our view: If you are looking for a bright sunny musical, this isn't it. If you are looking for something with bite, you will find that here. We were expecting a light little musical about stage mothers and their daughters. Instead we got a dark comedy about ambition and succeeding at any cost. The show is meant to be a spoof of musicals and movies, such as, Gypsy, All About Eve and The Bad Seed. In fact there is a character called Eve Allabout. The show is entertaining. The singing and acting are all good, and there is a lot of humor in the show although much of it is very dark. The music is enjoyable although not especially memorable except for Born to Entertain and the refrain "Hello, this is Tina's Mother" from the song of the same name. It is worth noting that Laura Bell Bundy, Natalie Portman, and Brittany Spears all got their starts in an earlier version of this show. If young Tori Murray, the star of this incarnation of the show, follows in their footsteps, you might want to be able to say you saw her here when she got her start. We wouldn't recommend the show for young children or anyone who gets easily upset. They might be bothered by some elements of the plot. Older children and those who are not easily upset might enjoy it, however. For more information or to order tickets go to http://www.ruthlessthemusical.com/.

And that's our view for more about Ruthless see tomorrow's Talking Topics post.

Photo credit: All photos by Carol Rosegg

Tips for Tuesday - Apps. Web-Sites or YouTube Channels - MayBaby and e-Miles

Me- Today I am recommending MayBaby.  She is a beauty guru. She is really funny. She makes really great videos with good beauty tips and other tips. She also has some other great videos. including back-to-school videos.

Mom - Today I am recommending e-Miles. If you earn frequent flier miles with United Mileage Plus, this program is for you. With e-Miles, you earn points for responding to ads. You don't even have to buy anything to earn points. Once, you have reached at least 500 points, you can trade in your points for miles. For more information or to sign up go to http://www.e-miles.com/home.do.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

Sussex County Miners

Me- Sussex County Miners, not wow! The Sussex County Miners are a new independent league baseball team this year. They play at Skylands Stadium. It doesn't look like any other stadium I have ever seen. It doesn't look like a baseball stadium at all. You cannot see the field at all from outside the stadium. There are not that many food or souvenir concessions. The ones that they have are mostly on the outside of the playing area, and you cannot see the game from there. There are two or three small concession carts inside the stadium, but they do not move round they just stay where they are and they do not sell that many different things. Vendors do not come around selling anything either. It is good because they don't get in your way, but bad because you have to get up if you want anything. The seats are strange. They don't fold up like in most stadiums, they are just open all the time. The seats are slightly more uncomfortable than at other stadiums I have been to but not that much. There are no playgrounds or other forms of entertainment at the stadium aside from the game. They also don't have as much between innings entertainment as at other stadiums, and what they do have starts later in the game then at other stadiums. If you are just looking for baseball, go see the Sussex County Miners, if you want other things to, you might prefer a different team.

Mom -  The Sussex's County Miners are New Jersey's newest Independent League baseball team. They play in the Can Am League. The Can Am League or the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball is a league made up of Canadian and American teams. The American teams are located in New York and New Jersey. There is even one team in the league, the Garden State Grays that does not have a home stadium but always plays on the road. Skylands Stadium, home of the Miners, was formerly the home of the New Jersey Cardinals, an affliate of the Major League Cardinals. It later became the home of an independent league team called the Sussex Skyhawks. The Skyhawks ceased operations after the 2010 season. From then until, this year there  was no baseball team playing in the stadium. Starting with this season, the Sussex County Miners play there.

In July, we attended a Sussex County Miners game and overnight. At the game, the Miners played the Fargo Redhawks which is kind of strange because the Redhawks don't even seem to be in the same league as the Miners and are located all the way in North Dakota. The team played well that night and won the game although they currently sit third from last in the standings in the eight team league.

While the Miners do not have a lot of between innings entertainment or areas of the stadium like playgrounds or fun zones, they do have daily promotions. The daily promotions include: Munchy Mondays, Two for Tuesdays, Kids Go Free Wednesdays, Fireworks Saturdays and Family Fun Sundays. They also used to have free movies on Friday nights. However, they have been cancelled for the rest of the season. Sleepovers at the Stadium include at least one for Boy Scouts and one for Girl Scouts. Overnights include the game and breakfast. The breakfast was the best of all three stadiums we have stayed at and included bagels and donuts. Over all, it was better than at the Lakewood Blueclaws which did not include any meals, and not as good as the Riversharks which includes dinner, snack and breakfast. The Miners have one remaining Boy Scout overnight on August 22 . There are also some other remaining home games for the season. If you are interested in finding out more about the team or the stadium or in purchasing tickets to one of the remaining home games go to http://sussexcountyminers.com/tickets/ . If you are interested in going to a game, you better hurry, the Miners last home game is on September 7 less than a month away.

And that's our view. Have you ever been to an Independent League baseball game and if so where?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Sunday Scoop Week of 8/23/15 - What's Happening This Week or Coming Up Soon

Upcoming at the Camden Riversharks

Campbell's Field
401 N. Delaware Avenue

Camden, NJ

As part of Winning Wednesday, 'Sharks fans receive a free ticket if the team wins at home on a Wednesday.  But for a one night special on Wednesday, August 26th, fans can order their free ticket before the gates even open!  That's how confident we are in a win!

The first 500 fans to order their tickets using the promo code "free" at checkout will receive a FREE 200 level ticket to next Wednesday's 7:05pm game.  CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets.**

Wednesday is also Social Media Night!  During the game, fans will be asked to vote on which songs are played, which prizes are offered in our in-game promotions, and more! CLICK HERE for more details on Social Media Night!

**A $2 convenience fee applies per ticket.  This deal is for online ticket orders only.

Experience the magic of Hogwarts during Harry Potter Night on Friday, August 28th at 7:05pm.  Wear your house colors to the game and try your luck at finding the Golden Snitch in the stadium, PLUS more Harry Potter fun throughout the game!

As part of Freebie Friday, the Riversharks have two giveaways for fans on this special night!  A Cooler Bag Giveaway presented by Campbell Soup Company and a Baseball Card Set giveaway presented by Lourdes Health System are both available for the first 1,000 fans.

We will end this magical night with Kids Run the Bases presented by Garden State Discovery Museum, and for an added bonus, a special Friday night edition of the fireworks spectacular! (TICKETS)

Saturday, August 29th at 5:35pm, we will celebrate Faith and Family Night.  Join in for a pre-game Christian band performance on the front plaza, and post-game fireworks and Launch-A-Ball! (TICKETS)

Sunday, August 30th at 1:35pm is our last Bark in the Park Game presented by AAA South Jersey!  Bring your dog to the ballpark for FREE as part of this popular theme day!  Dogs can enjoy hydration stations along the concourse, and there will be a relief station set up to keep them comfortable.

As part of Family Fun Day Sunday, there will also be a character appearance by Batman, the Dark Knight himself, from 12:35-2:35pm!  Plus, arrive early for pregame on-field team autographs! (TICKETS)

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Free this week on Amazon

The Jean and Rosie trilogy by Catherine Doughtery is the story of a pair of best friends. They may have met later in life, and they may not have seemed the likeliest of friends at first. However, somehow their friendship worked, and it took them through the good times and the bad times and anything else that life happened to throw their way. The first book in the Triology, In Polyester Pajamas, will be available for free for Kindle at Amazon.com from 8/26/15 to 8/28/15.

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Fall/Winter Kidzsignments Consignment Sale 

Edison, NJ

The sale will take place October 15-17. The sale will take place at the NJ Expo Center in Edison. Drop off will take place Tuesday afternoon/evening and Wednesday morning. Pick up will be October 18 (11-2). Look for a complete sale schedule online or in one of the upcoming Consignor newsletters.

*****Worker (Volunteer) registration now open *******

Consignor Incentives this Season:

• Consignors will have the opportunity to bring up to 20 items of “summer” clothing (shorts, t-shirts, swimsuits etc.).
• The consignor referral program will give consignors a $10 shopping credit for each qualified referral.PLUS, earn a 5% bonus on top of any volunteer incentives with the referral of two or more new consignors to participate in this year's consignment sale .
  

Remember, we they are just kids anymore!

Sell your ladies designer handbags and women’s coats and shoes.

Designer Denim items (men’s ladies designer jeans – brands listed on website)

Home school curriculum items welcome

Adult title books and DVDs (no text books or date sensitive manuals)

Items of the following brands welcome in ANY size as long as they are  a current style and meet quality standards:

Abercrombie & Fitch

Hollister

American Eagle

Aeropostale

For more information or to sign up as a consignor go to http://www.kidzsignments.com/consign-register.html

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Handi-Treads Discount for Says Me Says Mom Readers

Handi-treads are non-slip aluminum treads for stairs and walkways. For more about Handi-treads go to this post Tips for Tuesday- Misc.: Funky Fingers and Handi-treads. To order Handi-treads go to https://www.handiramp.com/stairtreads/ For a 10% discount on the purchase of Handi-treads use the code BLOG2015

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News From Michelle Tabnick Communications

YPHIL - International Philharmonic Orchestra  

presents the first of 

Seven Epic Concerts  

Play For Peace Concert 

Featuring the World Premiere of Faruk Kanca's Ornament Overture 

And the American Premiere of Nimrod Borenstein's Concerto for Violoncello and String Orchestra, Op. 56B 

At Peter Norton Symphony Space 

September 10, 2015 at 7pm

YPHIL - International Philharmonic Orchestra kicks off Seven Epic Concerts with the Play for Peace Concert at Peter Norton Symphony Space on September 10, 2015 at 7pm. The program for this very first concert of YPHIL's will include the World Premiere of Faruk Kanca's Ornament Overture, orchestra participant Yigit Karatas performing Édouard Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21, and famous cellist Gjilberta Luca soloing in the American Première of Nimrod Borenstein's Concerto for Violoncello and String Orchestra, Op. 56B. The evening will be conducted by Peter Breiner and will include blended Western and Eastern music traditions, adding ethnic instruments to symphony orchestra. Unique traditional instruments from Tunisia, South Africa, Korea, Turkey, Columbia, Nicaragua, and many more, will be heard along with violins, drums and piano. For tickets and more information visit: www.symphonyspace.org/event/8987/Music/ypo-young-soloists-concert

September 14, 2015 at 3pm: United Hearts Concert 

Herald Square - Dedicated to the memory of the victims and heroes of 9/11

September 16, 2015 at 3pm: Hear My Nations' Voice Concert in Times Square

September 17, 2015 at 7pm: Gathering for Youth Empowerment at New York University  

NYU's Skirball Hall 

Tickets: nyuskirball.org/page/tickets.

September 20, 2015 at 3pm: Concert For Nations' Friendship at Bowling Green Park, Wall Street

September 25, 2015 at 7pm: Community Fellowship Program at the New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue

September 27, 2015 at 8pm: Concert for Global Peace 

Carnegie Hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium/Ronald O. Perelman Stage 

Tickets: www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2015/9/27/0800/PM/YPHIL-International-Philharmonic-Orchestra/. 

Featuring: Jose Luis Gomez, Conductor; Alexander Markov, Violin

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South Street Seaport Museum announces an expansion of the Mini Mates Program Fall Session Dates: Thursdays, September 10 - November 19, 2015 Fridays, September 11- November 20, 2015

The South Street Seaport Museum begins a new Fall Session of the Mini Mates Program with an expanded schedule. Sessions will be held on Thursdays and Fridays from September 10 - November 20, 2015. The expanded schedule will allow for classes to be offered on two different days in order to minimize class size while allowing more families to participate. Classes are limited to 12 students per class. Families may sign up for Thursdays and/or Fridays, as both days will offer the same program. This program, aimed at children ages 18 months to 4 years and their parents or caregivers, is designed to encourage adults to engage in fun and educational activities with their children while guided by a Museum Educator. Themes include holidays, the changing seasons, nature, and the Seaport neighborhood! The family program will take place from 10am - 11am. The cost to attend one class per week is $275 or $550 to come to two classes per week. Drop-In Open Play, open to Mini Mates participants only, will be held on Wednesdays, September 9-November 18, 2015 from 10am - 12pm. There is a $100 additional optional fee for access to space during Open Play time. All Museum Family Members will receive a 10% discount. To reserve space for your child, email education@seany.org or call (212) 748-8753. Registration is now open. A typical Mini Mates session lasts an hour and fifteen minutes and includes unstructured play time, music-making, hands-on learning activities, art-making, reading, and snack time. The class size is intimate, fast friendships form among participants, and once families join, they keep coming back! If you join the Mini Mates program, you'll become part of a close-knit group of friends who learn and grow together, and you'll also develop a stronger connection to the local community. The Mini Mates program meets on a regular basis, and the program operates year round.

********************************************************************************* News from Waldmania PR AWARD-WINNING KINDIE DUO PLAY DATE IS ON TOUR THIS FALL! GREG ATTONITO OF THE BOUNCING SOULS & SINGER/SONGWRITER SHANTI WINTERGATE ROCKING, FAMILY-FRIENDLY SHOWS PLUS NINA PAJAMA PARTIES IN SELECT CITIES SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015 MA, CA, NY, DE, IL, WA  The award-winning kindie music duo Play Date has a bevy of family-friendly shows planned for a fall tour that will take them from the Boston area to Seattle, with stops in California, Long Island, Delaware, Brooklyn, and Chicago, from September through November. Complete details are on the Play Date website, HERE. Greg Attonito (lead vocalist and founding member of punk legends The Bouncing Souls) and singer/songwriter Shanti Wintergate are the husband-and-wife team at the heart of the delightfully dynamic Play Date. They'll bring their guitars and their infectious, positive energy to all their shows this fall, playing fan favorites like "Dance Like a Monster," "Anyone Can Sing," and "Rad," as well as performing tunes from their recently released album, We All Shine. Play Date on Tour - September - November 2015 Sept. 19 - TCAN Center for the Arts - Natick, MA Oct. 10 - San Manuel Amphitheater - San Bernardino, CA Oct. 23 - Longwood Library - Middle Island, NY Oct. 24 - World Café Live at The Queen - Wilmington, DE Oct. 27 - Central Library - Brooklyn, NY Oct. 30 - Land of Nod - Oak Brook, IL Oct. 31 - Land of Nod - Chicago, IL Nov. 14 - Books and Cookies - Santa Monica, CA Nov. 15 - Land of Nod - Costa Mesa, CA Nov. 16 - Sanchez Library - Pacifica, CA Nov. 17 - Atherton Library - 3:00 p.m. - Atherton, CA Nov. 17 - East Palo Alto Library - 7:00 p.m.- East Palo Alto, CA Nov. 18 - Brisbane Library - 10:30 a.m. - Brisbane, CA Nov. 18 - Foster City Library - 7:00 p.m. - Foster City, CA Nov. 19 - Millbrae Library- 10:30 a.m. - Millbrae, CA Nov.19 - Portola Valley Library - 4:00 p.m. - Portola Valley, CA Nov. 20 - Belmont Library - Belmont, CA Nov. 21 - MommyCon Seattle - Seattle, CA Nov. 22 - Land of Nod - Seattle, WA Complete details available on the Play Date website, HERE. ********************************************************************************************************** News From O & M Co. “K I N K Y   B O O T S” CELEBRATES 1000 PERFORMANCES ON BROADWAY WITH TICKET GIVEAWAY AND FABULOUS FOOTWEAR CONTEST FIRST 50 FANS IN LINE WEARING RED SHOES TO WIN FREE TICKETS TONY AWARD-WINNER BILLY PORTER TO JUDGE THE DAY’S “MOST FABULOUS FOOTWEAR” AUGUST 26, 2015 AT THE AL HIRSCHFELD THEATRE

 Producers, Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig announced today that the Tony Award®-winning  musical Kinky Boots will celebrate its landmark 1000^th performance on Broadway on Wednesday, August 26^th with a ticket giveaway and “fabulous footwear” contest for fans. To pay homage to the show’s now-iconic red boots, the first 50 people in line at the Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45^th St) wearing red shoes when the box office opens at 10:00 AM will receive a free pair of tickets to that evening’s performance.  Tony Award-winner Billy Porter will be on hand at 10:00 AM to pick the three most fabulous pairs of footwear, and winners will get to join the cast backstage after the evening performance for a celebratory toast and custom Kinky Boots cupcakes provided by Baked by Melissa.

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And that's the scoop. Tune in Monday for another Talking Topic.